Plans for another large solar farm in North Yorkshire - to operate for 50 years

Yahoo

25-07-2025

Details of another large solar farm planned for agricultural land near Selby have been announced.
The 49.99MW scheme would be built on farmland to the east of the town at Newlands Farm, near the village of Cliffe.
Lighthouse Development Consulting has submitted a scoping opinion request to North Yorkshire Council for the authority to decide if an environmental impact assessment would need to be submitted with any future planning application for the green energy development.
The company said in supporting documents that the solar farm would comprise rows of fixed solar panels set out over 82.5 hectares of land, together with associated plant, cable routing and works.
It added: 'The solar panels will be spaced to avoid shadow and elevated on an angled frame, supported by pile-driven stakes erected with minimal disturbance to the ground and sited to achieve optimum exposure for sunlight absorption.
'The photovoltaic panels will not emit noise, dust or vibration.'
The developer said the electricity generated from the scheme would feed directly into the local distribution grid.
'The development would be operational for a period of 50 years after which the site will be returned to agriculture; accordingly, the proposals are fully reversible.
'It is intended that the land will remain available for livestock to graze between the panels in order to retain an agricultural use.
'Existing hedgerows would be reinforced with native species to deliver improved habitats and ecological benefits whilst screening views into the site.'
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The solar scheme is the latest in a growing list of solar farms planned for the Selby area.
Planning permission has already been granted for a development at nearby Osgodby.
Last month, Quintas Cleantech submitted a scoping opinion request for a 49.9MW solar farm and battery energy storage scheme (BESS) on farmland between the villages of Cawood and Wistow.
The same energy company also wants to build a 30MW solar farm, along with a BESS capable of storing up to 10MW of electricity, on farmland either side of the A163 Market Weighton Road at nearby Barlby.
Several other solar farms have been planned for the area, including the Helios scheme which would see a 190MW farm built on land near the village of Camblesforth, to the south of Selby.
The solar farms would take advantage of existing energy infrastructure from the Drax power station.